Good-bye 9th Grade Center p. 4
Action pictures p. 14 Creek Volleyball P. 27
March 2009- Issue 4
Senior Scavenger Hunt P. 9
2305 East Main, League City, TX 77573
7 classes a day, 5 times a week, all next year
Allie Hinga
Many, however, are concerned about the impact of the new schedule. While block scheduling gave students the opportunity to earn 32 credits, the new schedule will allow only 28 credits. Some students and teachers are concerned that this will affect enrollment in electives, especially with increasing graduation requirements. The new 26-credit graduation requirement includes the 4x4 plan, which requires students to take four years of math and science. Students will only have room for three elective classes each year rather than the four they have now Several teachers are concerned that the decreased class time each day will not allow their students enough time to work, including science and elective teachers. Ms. Lienhart, an art teacher at Creek, said that she is concerned about the amount of time her students will have to work. “A fifty minute class with 20 students leaves 2.5 minutes per student. That doesn’t count the time it takes to put up supplies and clean up. But I’ll do the best that I can,” she said. Many are concerned that that they will not be able to take as many electives. Mr. Bockart, Creek’s head principal, said that he definitely sees the possibility that electives could be impacted. “We have some really strong elective programs on our campus that have been built over Jordan Little time, and we In the past six don’t want months, CCISD to see has saved a total of them $743,939.68 through energy management. The plan to start conserving energy needed time and commitment. S t e v e n Gremillion, CCISD’s energy manager, is the man behind the
Creek will undergo transitions next year, the most significant is the switch from block scheduling to a seven period day. Many at Creek have some concerns about the new schedule, as it will require students to change the way they plan their classes and will require teachers to make changes in curriculum. The transition began last year when the school board released new parameters stating that students in extracurricular activities could not be double blocked. The issue arose because UIL guidelines would only allow athletics classes to practice only 60 minutes a day, and the rest of the time in the class would be spent in study hall. There was some concern that these students were not spending enough time in academic classes, and so the new parameters were released. The new guidelines forced Creek to determine a new schedule so that students who would no longer be double blocked could still meet in their elective classes every day. Initially, an AB8 schedule was adopted, in which students would spend four days of the week on a block schedule, then meet with all classes on one day. Many parents and teachers were upset by the proposed schedule because they felt that the 30-35 minute classes that would occur on an eight-class day wouldn’t allow for enough instructional time. During this debate, Dr. Greg Smith became the Superintendent of CCISD. He felt that the AB8 schedule was unworkable, and so suggested that all schools switch to a seven period schedule. This policy was approved, and schools on block scheduling, like Creek, were given this school year as a transition year so they would have time to prepare for the changes. Next year the new schedule will be implemented at Creek. Students will be enrolled in seven classes each semester, instead of eight. Each class will meet every day for 50-55 minutes. There are many advantages to switching to a seven period day. Students will meet with all of their teachers every day and will save the district $1.5 million because it requires fewer teachers, since they will be teaching six out of seven classes instead of six out of eight. It will work well for motion. students who transfer to House Bill Creek from other areas, 3693 provides rules as most other schools use that schools must follow if such a schedule, easing the superintendent so chooses. Its the transition for these first stipulation states that schools i n transfer students. Also, cities must save 5% in their e n e r g y students will actually consumption for the following 6 years. To meet this gain more time in their requirement, Mr. Gremillion was hired in September non-elective courses of 2007. His dedication to energy conservation with the new schedule. lies in his concern for the future. “Eventually “It increases the the low hanging fruit will be gone. However, by amount of time that utilizing advanced techniques and adopting new you spend in each class technologies, we give ourselves a taller ladder.” for the whole year. We’ll Mr. Gremillion first began to raise energy gain back something like awareness through staff meetings and training. In three weeks of time per order to make the plan to save energy achievable, year,” Mr. Fontenot, Creek’s he and his team in the Maintenance and Operations AP English III teacher, said. department began to look for low cost projects.
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negatively impacted,” he said. Other teachers have expressed that while some students may be legitimately concerned about their elective classes, the old schedule had them spending too much time in these classes and not enough time in academic classes. They also feel that some students weren’t taking advantage of their increased credit opportunities, pointing out the number of students taking early release or late arrival. Dr. Smith doesn’t believe that the transition will affect elective programs too significantly, but students will need to make careful choices when selecting their courses. Mr. Bockart feels that while students will do homework for more classes each night, t h e i r total
amount of work may not necessarily increase, because teachers will also need to change their daily curriculum to work with the shorter class periods.Though Creek students will see a change in their schedules next year, seven period days have been implemented before at Creek. The school made the transition to block scheduling three years earlier from eight period days, and both Mr. Bockart and Dr. Smith believe it will be able to make the transition back. “Rest assured that this is not a brand new schedule,” Dr. Smith said. “It is being used in many high schools throughout the state and I appreciate [everyone’s] cooperation.”
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Ve n d i n g machines were re-evaluated for their effectiveness and replaced. Computers were examined for their power management. Exit signs were deemed energy wasters and were replaced with LED signs that will last for 25 years. Last summer, Mr. Gremillion began to research ways to operate school buildings separately to prevent unnecessary wasted energy. Ghost meters represent areas that are still using power but are not occupied. The old Ag barn, no longer in use, was cut off from its power source. Clear Creek High School was the leader in school savings with a total of $3,218.63, due largely in part to the pony chiller. After Creek was remodeled, two large chillers were installed to cool the air throughout the entire building. To prevent wasted energy, Mr. Gremillion introduced the small pony chiller. The pony chiller saves energy by only supplying cooler air to the areas of the school that need it at a given time. Stewart and Ross Elementary lead the primary schools with the most savings. The State Energy Conservation Office estimated that 25% of energy wasted in schools comes from not turning off lights. SECO has helped the elementary students become motivated to save energy through their program, W a t t Wa t c h e r s . Classrooms that turn off their lights are rewarded with a thankyou note. The elementary school that saved the most, Ross, won the privilege to fly the Watt Watchers flag. Through his own invention, Mr. Gremillion created a Power Bike, a bike hooked up to a generator to teach elementary kids how much power light bulbs use. Whether it
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be speaking to Clear Brook Intermediate or demonstrating the Power Bike to elementary kids, Mr. Gremillion is very dedicated to getting kids involved with saving energy. He is sure that reaching the students is the key to future success. Any effort made to save e n e rg y counts. Recently, Student Council has made an effort to raise awareness of energy needs in the classroom. Simone Nagle, the chair of N.E.E.D., StuCo’s energy and environment committee helped place signs on light switches around campus reminding staff to turn off the lights. Simone is clear about her motives for Creek, “Our goal is to inspire people to care about the environment.” The money each school earns will serve educational purposes. “Ultimately every dollar unnecessarily spent on energy is a dollar wasted for education,” states Mr. Gremillion. With continued support from staff, students, and the district, Mr. Gremillion and his team in the Maintenance and Operations department will continue to raise awareness, save money, and establish an energy-efficient district. For those interested in helping C r e e k become m o r e energyfriendly, please contact Steven Gremillion, Student Council or the Environmental Club.
Photo by Amanda Compton
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Opinion
Hey Creek!
What is your favorite Spring Break destination and why?
SPRING BR EA K 2009
SENIORS
“Breckenridge, Colorado because it’s easily the coolest ski town on the face of the planet.” -Carlos Garcia
Ju niors
“California, because it’s a crazy party week there with good weather and pretty beaches.” -Krista Sharp
“My favorite place is South Padre, because it’s awesome there.” -Madison Powell
“Las Vegas, because the Bellagio hotel is amazing.” -Destinee Walker
“Disney World, because it’s the happiest place on earth.” -Daniel Jenkins
“My favorite place is Japan, because it’s way different than anything else.” -Dakota Huff
“I’m going to Kentucky to my grandma’s house because she lives out -Ali Dunn on a farm in the country in the middle of nowhere.”
“My lake house, because I get to go tubing, wakeboarding and other cool stuff like that.” -Jordan Sterling
“Hawaii is where I would go, because it’s warm and sunny, with great -Mollie Cox beaches.”
“My favorite place is Austin Texas. I love to cliff jump and I especially love the enviorment.” -Maddy Williams
“Cabo San Lucas, it’s really pretty on the beaches and everyone is -Cherish Krohn really friendly there.”
“The Devil’s River at my grandparents. I can escape from the whole world there. It is beautiful.” -Kayla Robinson
“Colorado, because I used to go skiing there every year with the -Cassandra Fournet family.”
Sophomores
n Munthe, and MCT Campus
Pictures by Kaitlyn Boryk, Rya
Clear Creek High School
“Cancun, because I love going to the beach and getting a tan.” -Sarah Liveringhouse
“My favorite is Washington D.C. beca use I got to go with my 5th grade class, and we got to go a lot of famous places.” -Jennifer Magil “Georgia, because all of my family is there and it’s a nice place.” -Aaron Wilson “Colorado, because I can go snowboa rding.” -Lauren Hillary “Probably San Antonio, because I can go shopping and have a lot of fun.” -Kristen Reny “A beach in Mexico, because most are really pretty.” -Vikki Meek
Freshmen
“California, because I want to go to Disneyland.”
-Sandra Foster
a “Outer Banks, North Carolina because they have a pretty beach and -Molly Gosky beautiful sunrise.” “Cozumel, because it is beautiful and there are a ton of things to do on the -Meridith Morrison beach.” “Destin, Florida because the sand looks like snow and the water looks like -Bobby Hewitt sapphires!” “My favorite Spring Break destination is Taos, New Mexico because of -Kathryn Rose the great ski slopes.” “Fiji, because it’s just really beautiful there.”
-Rachel Jones
2008-2009 HiLife Staff
Principal: Scott Bockart Advisor: Wynette Jameson Executive Editor: Jan O’Neil Editor-in-Chief: Cassie Lee Editors: Amanda Compton Allie Hinga Chelsea Huebner Jordan Little Megan McKisson Ryan Munthe Haley Rush Advertising Managers: Adam Vencil Olivia Hunyh Video Editor: Ryan Gripon Photographers: Hailey Stephens Melissa Devitt Kaitlyn Boryk Shauna Ferrero-Donahue Kaitlyn Foote Reporters: Amber Arnold Kaitlyn Blake Emily Dismukes Alina Gregory Tracey Griffith Emily Hunyh Matthew Johnson Albert Nkansah Shannon O’Neil Will Sheffield Christine Sulkis Christen Valcoviak Sue Ellen van Eps Emily Trusky Contact Us! Email us at: Creekhilife@yahoo.com Visit us online at: www.clearcreekhigh school.ihigh.com http://myhsj.org/Schools/Newspaper /tabid/100/view/ frontpage/newspaperid/15/Default.as px For advertising rates call: 281-284 -1889 Fax: 281-284-1705
Editorial
Guest Editorial: Haley Rush
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Take a chance for everything that happens, happens for a reason.”
Haley Rush
On the first day of school, freshman year, I sat in homeroom as the teacher distributed schedules. I tried to sit still, eager to see my classes. I quickly
scanned the piece of paper that held what I thought was the rest of my life. Everything looked good so far, except newspaper class second period? I saw the fourteen years of my life flash before my eyes. I signed up for yearbook, and newspaper was not yearbook. I trudged to second period thinking about different ways to get my schedule changed quickly, but it was inevitable that I had to at least go today. I met up with my friend, who also got her yearbook dreams ripped away right in front of her eyes. We walked into the classroom and sat far in the back. I did not want anyone to even notice me once I was gone. This would be the longest forty-five minutes of my life. While I waited for the bell to ring, I decided to waste time by people watching, which is something that I love to do. I was intrigued by the variety of students were taking this class. I stopped myself from letting my interest go any farther, seeing as I would probably never see these kids again after the schedule
change. I stayed quiet as my teacher began to talk about the journalism program. I could not help but listening attentively to what my teacher was saying. I had never really thought about writing. I wanted to be a marine biologist. Another week passed and I began friendships with the other students in my class. Journalism was quickly becoming my favorite class period of the day. I could not even wait to get on the computers so I could write something. My dramatic yearbook longing soon faded as the world of a journalist began to fascinate me. By sophomore year I changed my dream career from marine biologist, to reporter for National Geographic. I became an editor for the school newspaper and every second of it is exciting. The news world was something I had never experience before, but wanted to know every aspect of it. Even though it was a newspaper class, it was so much more. Junior year hit and my marine
biology career was nowhere in sight. I decided I could compromise that dream with a lot of pets when I got older. Instead I focused on finding a career in journalism. I was not sure what it would be, but I knew it would be something in the news field. I brainstormed and researched all the skills I had acquired from the school journalism program, and broadcast journalism was something that I knew I wanted to become an expert in. In the fall I will be attending college at the University of North Texas majoring in Electronic News. I am not certain what I want to do in broadcasting, but I know I will love every step of the way. Through the journalism program I feel I am part of a second family and it has lead me the direction I intend to go. Looking back, freshman year has taught me a lot about life and myself. Everything might not happen exactly the way you planned, but it can sure open new doors.
Guest Editorial: Ryan Munthe “Is our generation of the Red, White, and Blue proud to be American?”
Ryan Munthe
Right now, it’s become hip and cliché to criticize American society. With so much to pick on like our wasteful habits, energy usage, selfish lifestyles, etc., it seems these criticisms aren’t too far off from the truth. Blogs, newspapers, MySpace, and the news, have made it universally acceptable to hate our country. All of these media
outlets make it seem like anywhere else in the world would be a better place to live than America. Even though America is still the capital of freedom , citizens think that it’d be more appealing to move to Canada or England. There are enormous problems that do need to be fixed or it can send the country into an enormous downward spiral. But that’s no reason to abandon America and lose all hope. In fact, it should inspire people to rise up and make a difference. It has in the past. But do we rise up? Do we want to make a difference? We’ve always had legendary leaders and regular people in American history who have changed the shape of American fabric and moved the world ever so closer to worldwide peace. But now, we’ve instead become reliant on the government and other nations to help our well being. It’s become standard to stay quiet politically and in world matters. Why would we not speak out against a government we are unhappy with? Why would we not try to change the world because we think the rich people can? What makes this so standard and normal that we accept this on an everyday basis? I hate it when I watch the news or
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hear people tell me I’m not allowed to speak out against the government or the President because they are the leader of the free world. That’s obviously a hypocritical statement, considering the free world is based upon the fact of criticizing the government. Why won’t anyone else bother to speak out? There are only few who bother to say anything revolutionary, because we’re a passive generation, simply. I don’t see many people truly proud to be American nowadays. It’s a plain, hard truthful fact. I watched the Tonight Show with Jay Leno one night and was astounded to see that most people they interviewed walking in downtown New York did not know the Pledge of Allegiance. That is a tragedy that people don’t feel compelled to actually know or remember their country’s pledge and the beliefs it was built on. Most people don’t know all the Presidents from start to finish. Most people aren’t compelled to learn about U.S. History. Most people aren’t interested in taking part in voting on Election Day. They have no reason to care about things like that while living their selfish lifestyles. Our Detroit automakers are falling, and people refuse
to support these companies that employ fellow Americans because, quite simply, the cars aren’t a Lexus or a Mercedes. People would rather rush out and give their money to an out-of-country automotive company, than to give their money to an Americanbased automaker which can make or break our economy. It has no matter our country and this generation, because we can continue to lead our selfish lives untouched. So, yes, it sounds like I’m sliding into the cliché of ridiculing today’s society. But I’m not just trashing it with no sense of help, just begging for a change today. Right now, because our selfish lives will have to change soon, or else. It’s all around us, our economy is crashing, money is becoming scarce, turmoil around the world is at an all-time high. It is the most trying times in recent memory. We all need to make sacrifices or else we’ll lose our way of life completely. Countries have fallen and risen many times, and I want to stay an American, a proud American, or else. Hopefully, in time the whole country will feel the same way.
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N ews Creek says good-bye to ninth grade center Allie Hinga For years, incoming Creek freshmen have begun their time in high school with a year at the Ninth Grade Center to help them move into their new environment more easily. Next year, however, freshmen will start their high school career on the Main Campus as the Ninth Grade Center is transformed into an intermediate school. While many teachers look forward to this change, next year will involve transitions for everyone at Creek, as the school will be housing all of its students on one campus. Teachers will officially begin moving their supplies from the Ninth Grade Center shortly after school ends for the year and before the first session of summer school begins, so the transformation of the Ninth Grade Center can begin, and teachers can store their materials for the summer. Preparations will already be underway by then, as administrators hope to have tentative room assignments by the end of the year. In fact, administrators have already begun planning and expect all of the logistics to be the most difficult part of the transition. The new potential room arrangements, however, have caused concern among some teachers. One concern has been whether or not the addition of the freshman population will cause class sizes to rise. Mr. Bockart, however said that this change will not significantly increase the number of students in a classroom, because district policy has
a student teacher ratio of 25 to 1. He said Department chairs will work with there may be the potential for some classes teachers to ensure that floating teachers will sizes to rise, but that the change may not have access to computers and storage space, be significant. In fact, projections indicate as well as classrooms in close proximity. that Creek’s total number of enrolled They will also make sure to accommodate students will actually decrease next year. classes needing specific rooms, such as Perhaps the greatest concern about science or technology classes. Despite the transition this work, is the issue however, of classroom the change space. There may not will be about 40 necessarily be teachers coming an easy one. over to the “There’s Main Campus no way 100 next year, but percent of there are not our teaching that many open staff is going classrooms to to be pleased accommodate with what all of them. we come up Ninth grade center before its conversion. with,” Scott To solve this problem, the administration may have Bockart, Creek’s head principal, said. to “stack” teachers or coaches who may Teachers also have other concerns only utilize their classroom for part of about space arrangements for next year. the school day, and a number of teachers Without the Ninth Grade Center, Creek will be expected to “float.” These teachers will lose two of its gyms as well as take will not be assigned to a specific room, on the incoming freshmen in the remaining and will be expected to utilize different ones. This problem may be alleviated some empty rooms during different periods. as Creek moves to a seven period schedule “The issue of classroom space poses the next year and athletics is no longer only major difficulty with the transition,” double blocked. The theater department Bradley Hewlett, a ninth grade theater is also concerned about next year, as they teacher, said, “The prospect of ‘floating’ will no longer be able to use the Ninth is not a pleasant one to most teachers.” Grade Center teaching theater next year.
“It is of great importance to our program, as well as the other Performing Arts programs on campus, that we have two viable performance spaces,” Hewlett said. Despite any setbacks, the transition may prove to have some advantages. For example, the switch to one campus will eliminate the difficulty of passing periods for students who have to move between the main building and the Ninth Grade Center. It will lessen the time students spend out of class visiting the office and taking care of other school business. Many teachers are also excited to finally have all students and staff on one campus. Increased interaction between freshmen and students in other grade levels may help freshmen feel included at school, and Mr. Bockart believes that the upperclassmen will be able to set a positive example for the ninth graders. “I’m looking forward to the move and having the ninth graders with us… and hoping it will be a new tradition to have all the students under one roof,” he said. “It will be a positive thing for the campus and I’m looking forward to it.” Some students and teachers may find next year to be a difficult one, between the transition to a seven period schedule and having all classes on one campus. Despite the challenges, Clear Creek High School is expected to rise past them to become an even more effective campus than before.
explained that when Constellation becomes the main focus in five years, it will open doors to new opportunities. For some, the retirement could cause lost jobs and for some, new opportunities, but one view that hasn’t been focused on is the effect it will have on NASA itself. One problem that NASA faces is the gap between the end of the space shuttle and the beginning of Constellation. This causes a period of grayness for NASA because much of the work done in NASA will have to take place elsewhere. Another problem is retirement. “Many of the contractors working at NASA now might not want to wait around for five years,” said Astronaut Gregory H. Johnson. “This could cause
NASA to have to find new contractors for The Constellation Program. Many of them might not have experience in the space field like the contractors now,” Johnson said. Officials agreed to report every six months on the projections of NASA job losses at all ten facilities, but can’t include the retirements that may occur. To sum up the problem, NASA lacks some of the funds to hire new contractors or to keep the remaining contractors working for them during the gap of the last shuttle launch and first Constellation launch. Hopefully things will be sorted out to assure the employment of man people as the next few years pass by.
Photo by Kaitlyn Boryk
NASA employees face lay-offs in near future Matt Johnson As the retirement of the Space Shuttle Program nears in 2011, the potential loss of jobs at NASA facilities is already being projected. As many as 2,300 jobs could be lost at Houston’s Johnson Space Center. Most of the people losing their jobs would be contractors since they are the ones that were hired to build and keep up the Space Shuttle Program. Projections will be made by NASA officials as 2011 approaches. “This is a snapshot in time … clearly a work in NASA’s Space progress,” said NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations William H. Gerstenmaier. JSC employs about 3000 civil servants who most likely will not lose their jobs. The majority of the employees at JSC are the near 15,000 contractors from over 15 contracting firms. The timing of the cuts can’t be predicted but many contractors mainly from Boeing, United Space Alliance, Barrios Technology Inc., Computer Sciences Corp. and Lockheed Martin Space Operations contractors might lose their jobs at NASA. They could possibly lose their jobs at the companies that they work at when the Space Shuttle Program retires because their contracting companies might not necessarily work for NASA when the Constellation Program begins. The Constellation Program is the successor to the space shuttle that will take NASA to the moon and eventually Mars. If President Obama increases the congressional funding for NASA, as few
as 400 jobs could be lost at NASA because work on the Constellation Program would begin and companies that now work on The Space Shuttle Program may work on the Constellation Program. This could cause
Shuttle Mission Control Center. contractors to simply change their job type instead of losing their jobs as a whole. NASA employs around 82,000 people at the 10 space facilities in the United States. Although all facilities could experience job loss, the majority will be at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, FL. Even though the next spacecraft will launch at KSC, between 3,000 and 4,000 workers of about 14,000 are projected to lose jobs at KSC, however projections might change. Once again, the job losses should mostly consist of contractors who could find another job from their contracting companies. For many on the other hand, the space shuttle’s retirement could help in a way. “It will give us a larger pull of senior executives because we work mainly on the Space Station and Constellation,” said MNB Engineering Owner Darin Massey. MNB Engineering sub-contracts with Oceaneering Space Systems, Wyle Astronautics, Hamilton Sundstrand, and SAIC. Massey
Photo by Matt Johnson
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F eatures sets take Students have hearing
Television down the bunny ears Christine Sulkis On February 17, 2009, all television networks were scheduled to switch to an all-digital broadcast. The switch will allow stations to offer better picture and sound qualities. It will also allow stations to offer more channels, called multicasting. This means that the 467,000 Houston homes that receive programming through an antenna (including outside antennas or “bunny ears”), will be forced to buy a digital converter box. Most of the converter boxes cost less than one hundred dollars, and some are almost half of that price. The federal government is pitching in and giving away coupons to help with the cost. There are also more costly options such as a digital TV in place of an analog TV. This means that antennas will no longer receive programming. However, on January 26, Congress approved a bill that will push the switch four months back, until June 12. President Obama’s administration was worried that too many Americans would not be ready to receive digital broadcasting by February 17. Households with cable, satellite TV, or a newer TV that has a digital tuner will not be affected by the switch, but over sixty-five million Americans who rely on analog sets would no longer
receive signals if the switch was not postponed. Sarah Liveringhouse, a sophmore, said, “The DTV switch doesn’t really affect me. My family already has cable, so I guess we’ll just get a better picture, which is pretty cool.” For Southeast Texas, this means that the switch will happen right in the middle of hurricane season. This means that if people who still have not converted by June, they will not be able to receive critical information about hurricanes and other emergencies. Television is often the most used source for learning about the location, strength, and damage caused by hurricanes. If people’s televisions do not receive signals, they will not receive this vital information. Switching to digital broadcasting will liberate large portions of the wireless spectrum, which is used by emergency services to communicate during natural disaster such as Hurricane Ike. During times of crisis, most people turn to their TVs in hope of learning information about what is going on. Everyone wants to know how much damage has been caused, how many people have been found dead, etc. However, analog broadcasting uses a lot of the spectrum, and makes it very difficult for emergency services to communicate. It can prevent vital information from being shared between services, hospitals, officers, and other emergency workers. Stephen Solis, a senior, said, “I do think that the DTV switch is a good idea. However, I think it should be done more gradually, not all at one time. That would give people time to get used to the idea and actually buy new TVs. 0” Republicans in both the House and the Senate are concerned that a delay would only confuse people who have already prepared for the switch. They are also concerned that this will cause public safety agencies to wait even longer for the wireless spectrum to be given up. Some of these concerns have been taken care of by allowing stations to make the transition to DTV before June if the wish to do so. Public safety agencies will also gain control over free spectrum as soon as it becomes available.
Photos by Hailey Stephens Jamie Kremer and Chloe Vogel making fun of old technology.
problems from music Emily Huynh Working out, on a plane, finishing your homework or while sleeping, listening to an I-pod or an mp3 player in your ears is actually affecting you more than it may seem. Some can listen to an I-pod in their ears for hours with it on full blast, sometimes maybe too many hours, but how loud is too loud? With the rate of I-pods and music devices being sold and continuing to rise, more device users will most likely be affected with hearing loss. According to the National H e a r i n g Conversation Association, because m u s i c is being transferred straight into your ear through the ear buds, The there is a higher chance of the risk of damage to your hearing. When you crank up the volume to get the full effect of the song, you are slowly damaging your ears. You can also obtain tinnitus, which is a temporary hearing loss with ringing or swishing in the ear. If you are suffering from tinnitus, some symptoms you might be experiencing ringing, clicking, or a roaring feeling in the ears and head. Tinnitus will go away after a period of time but if you continue to listen to loud music it can come back and sometimes even become permanent. When you experience hearing loss, it usually will get worse as you get older. If you begin to damage your ears at a young age you risk a higher chance of being diagnosed with a hearing impairment in the future.
Listening to a music device isnít the only way you can damage your ears. Going to a music concert, Mowing a lawn, the Sound of a jet, hearing a gunshot and many other things can effect your hearing as well. “I listen to my I-pod loud when I am jamming out to music all the time. If it hurts our ears so bad then they shouldnít have made the I-pods be able to play that loud,” Freshman Allie Etzel said. Ways to prevent your self from experiencing a temporary or permanent hearing loss are to use earplugs or some type of ear covering when sleeping or if youíre at a noisy construction site o r concert. Keep your music to yourself. If a friend can hear your music and you are using ear buds or hear phones then that is a sign to you that your music is too loud. The newer I-pods have loudness limiting settings that will help if you often crank up the volume. “I don’t really care if my ears hurt when I blast my music in my ears because I like how you can not hear other people talking and it makes it sound so much better when it is loud,” Freshman Peyton Hardman said. Using your music to drown out other loud noises is also not a good idea. If you have to turn up the music even louder than necessary, than it is showing you that you are most likely damaging your hearing. Ruining your hearing can affect your life in that you will miss out on experience. So warning your friends to turn down the volume is helpful advice that everyone needs to hear about.
Photos by Hailey Stephens
Gas in car electrifies Alina Gregory This car has three wheels, is electric, and is also lightweight. The new Aptera 2e is scheduled to roll off the assembly line in Vista, California this October. The price is yet-to-be-determined but will most likely be between $25,000 and $40,000. It can be charged overnight in your 110-volt home outlet and claims to have a range of 100 miles. This business model looks sound, with almost 4,000 deposits already placed on it, including Robin Williams. Co-founders Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony have assembled a team and enthusiastic investors are locked in. Tom Reichenbach, the chief engineer, was formerly the vehicleengineering manager for the Ford GT and the Shelby GT500 programs. CEO Paul Wilbur has a history with Ford, Chrysler, and ASC. Steve Fambro is a biotech engineer and private pilot. Chris Anthony is a composites specialist with a background in boat design and fluid dynamics. Their team has experience and could really make this happen.
The pre-production prototype is called Punch, named for its upholstery color that resembles the popular party drink. Punch gets quite a bit of track testing and is now tuned with suspension settings. The rotary shifter’s most aggressive setting is D3, and while on this the Aptera has practical speed and is responsive. It can go 0-60 mph in under 10 seconds and has a top speed of 90 mph. It has a go-kart type of agility with a civil ride. The base of the windshield plunges toward the pavement, steering and breaks are unassisted, and the curb weight is only about 1700 lbs, which is half the weight of a Honda Accord. The door openings are large, and there is a large hooded digital speedometer and bar graph battery indicator inside the vehicle. There is also a central infotainment screen that offers many possibilities. Leg and head room is generous and comfortable for someone who is 6’3. The final version of the Aptera 2e will have frontal and side airbags. Eight Aptera employees can stand on the roof of the car, after government roof-crush testing, so safety is not an issue for this futuristic automobile.
F eatures 7 CIA recruits kids from networking Say no Alina gregory
pure curiosity about the CIA and NSA. Once employees are part of the CIA, they face no ban against keeping socialnetworking accounts or pages. If they do have a page on Facebook, they are made aware of precautions to take. From time to time the CIA has used Facebook to share employment
Facebook, the online social-networking service, is usually used to find old friends or keep in touch with current friends, but now it is being used to help recruit a new generation of spies. The country’s intelligence community now turns to sites such as Facebook to attract a wider range of people. The CIA, as well as the usually kept quiet National Security Agency (which vacuums up the world’s communications for analysis), now has a Facebook page. Both request Facebook members to register and read information about different employment opportunities. These intelligence agencies are doing this to boost the size Michael Nikkum and Dustin Reinegal in fear. of the United States’ intelligence community. o p p o r t u n i t i e s . The agencies do seem concerned The NSA’s Facebook site informs that the country’s secret spy agencies applicants about the agency and people are encouraging potential hires to can discuss opportunities with fellow publicize their interest in the intelligence job seekers and NSA recruiters. NSA’s field. Since the groups are not directly Facebook site is four months old and monitored it is impossible to control who has nearly 1,000 members. It also has registers as a member. Most enroll out of a list of current job openings, from
cryptological and language analysts to information system security designers. “Finding the right people to do the job is of the utmost importance. You could be one of those people,” reads the CIA page. Almost eight hundred Facebook members have joined the CIA group, which is free. This is not like traditional spy recruiting, which usually focused on Ivy League schools or the ranks of the United States military. Staffing the CIA has been a major focus for the United States over the past years. President Bush ordered the CIA to increase part of its workforce by fifty percent. The CIA says this goal has almost been reached. The number of people the agency employs and the amount of money on staffing is classified. Outgoing director Michael Hayden told his employees in his farewell address to the agency at its Virginia headquarters in January that increasing human resources had been his greatest achievement as chief of the CIA. “In the past few years, the CIA has hired thousands of talented new officers, chosen from hundreds of thousands of skilled Americans seeking to be part of our mission,” Hayden said. The agency has received between 130,000 and 150,000 job applications since the hiring push started. The face of the agency is now changing.
Photo by Hailey Stephens
Put down the cells when driving Emily Huynh Distractions while you are behind the wheel can lead to drastic results. Texting is one of the leading causes of reckless driving. Checking cell phones while driving is a growing problem among the adults and teens on the road. it is continuously getting worse. The most occuring hazards while driving are applying makeup, eating, talking to people in the back of the car, or blaring music loud. Now, driving has become much more dangerous. Sometimes drivers quickly take their eyes off the road to look at their phone. Some drive with one hand, steer using their knees or even have the passenger grab the wheel real quick in order to reply to a text or answer the phone. This habit does not seem too harmless at first, but more and more people everyday are causing wrecks that should have been avoidable. It has become a much larger problem than before. Many accidents have happened because of distracted drivers. More parents are taking a stand against distracted drivers because they see various people driving and texting or talking on phone, while they drive in the school zone or by their homes where their children play. Parents are scared for the safety of their children and are hoping
to make a change for their communities. The National Safety Council is working on banning cell phone use while driving and according to the NSC fact sheet; drivers are four times more likely to crash while driving distracted. Many states such as California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Washington have banned using hand held devices while driving a vehicle but that does
not stop drivers. Using hands-free devices such as Bluetooth, will allow drivers to talk on the phone, while on cell phones, but without breaking the law. Washington is the very first state to ban texting completely. Other then that, the other fifty states are far behind. A lot of people use phones or put on make up while driving their car. “I do not have my license yet but I would probably be doing the same thing too while driving around. It is not
the smartest idea but if I was in a hurry or really needed to talk to someone, I probably would not be thinking about the consequences,” freshman, Allie Etzel said. “When I can drive, I would probably text someone back or answer my phone if I was at a stop light, but I would not put on makeup while driving because it is not safe and you could possibly crash,” freshman, Rachel Smythe said. People are not realizing how dangerous their actions really are. Other jobs like school bus drivers have been banned for using phones while on the job because it could put the passengers in danger, but it is questionable why taxi drivers have not been issued a law to ban cell phones. According to the national highway Association, there are many more problems that have not been delt with, when outlawing the devices while driving. The current l a w s h a v e been working well for Washington and should be taken seriously everywhere else. Hopefully the roads will become much safer than what they are now.
to smoking Haley Rush Smoking bans across the state of Texas have created a stir between smokers and anti-smokers. About twenty percent of adult Texans smoke and Texas spends $5.8 billion each year in health expenses related directly to tobacco. About $349 million is spent in health expenses related to second hand smoke. The American Lung Association has recently graded the states based on their commitment level to smoking bans and cigarette taxes. To much suprise Texas recieved an unexpected grade. The criteria for the grading system have to do with where a person can and cannot smoke in restaurants or bars. Texas has earned an “F”. The state of Texas has not made levying cigarette taxes, funding prevention campaigns, or banning smoking in work and public places a priority. With tobacco contributing largely to disease and death and healthcare costs raising at an uncomfortable rate, an “F” makes numerous anti-smokers uneasy. “I do not see why people are fighting against banning smoking in public places. It puts other people in danger. If your going to smoke do it outside or in private.” said Kelsey Richardson. The American Lung Association began the Smokefree Air Challenge in January of 2006. It was issued to encourage states to pass laws that ban cigarette smoking in restaurants, schools, bars, casinos, and workplaces. As of 2008 only Nebraska and Iowa succeeded in the challenge, but twenty-three states have now created laws to keep their airs smoke free. Taxes per cigarette packs have created a controversy as well. Although raising taxes have brought adult consumption down four percent and teenage consumption down seven percent. “I think taxes on cigarettes should be raised higher then most things since their health liabilities. Then maybe the high prices will force people to quit,” said Hannah Carson. The state of New York has the highest tax at $2.75 per pack, while South Carolina has the lowest at 0.07 cents per pack. Texas taxes &1.41 per pack. The percentage of smokers is at an all time high in the state of Texas. About 19.3 percent of adults smoke, while 9.5 percent of middle school students smoke in Texas. A shocking 21.1 percent of high school students smoke in the lone star state.
Madalyn Williams saying no. Photo by Hailey Stephens Photo by Hailey Stephens
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Creek Speaks
“Cool” parent supplies alcohol to teenagers Jordan Little
Most news stories about teens and alcohol typically involve death. However, most people don’t realize the source of the young deaths. Parents who accommodate the teens by giving them alcohol don’t think about the consequences such as poor health, injury, and death. According to CNN, a study by the American Medical Association reported that one-third of teens stated it was “easy to obtain alcohol” from their parents. The small community of Powder Springs in Georgia recently experienced loss due to poor choices. On January 24, Garrett Reed, a 16-year old football player at Harrison High School crashed his car into an oncoming vehicle. An investigation by the police revealed that the mother of Reed’s classmate provided the alcohol. The mother, Kecia Evangela Whitfield,
was charged with the misdemeanors of reckless conduct and supplying alcohol to a minor. Whitfield was released from holding on a 10,000 dollar bond and now awaits court in April. If she is convicted, she could receive up to a year in jail and thousands of dollars in fines. According to the Alcohol Policy Information System, a government website that records alcohol laws, states such as Virginia, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Georgia are among the ten that allow parents to give their own child alcohol. The National Conference of State Legislatures provides that there are no age limits, as long as the minor is in their guardian’s home or a place out of view of the public. Still, it is illegal to give alcohol to the children of other parents. “I think that parents need to be parents, not friends,” said Creek
sophomore Alex Hodgson. “Parents are supposed to help their children make good choices, not encourage bad ones.” The term “cool parents” is generally used to describe parents who are considered by other teens to be fun and easy-going. To some teens, a “cool parent” is one that is willing to supply their child or his or her friends with alcohol. According to gdcada.org, a person in the state of Texas “commits an offense if they provide an alcoholic beverage to a minor”. Because distributing alcohol to a minor is against the law, word about how often it happens is taboo; it seems as if the only time the public receives information about the topic is after a fatal accident. Organizations like BACODA (Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol) provide prevention programs that focus on keeping kids and teens away from alcohol.
Youthworks, one of BACODA’s programs, works with the school districts to provide prevention education to students. High school students can receive specified services such as “intervention, screening and assessments, crisis intervention, indicate prevention counseling, referrals, and prevention education,” (www. bacoda.com/services/youthworks). Although it may be too late for Garret Reed, it’s not too late for others. Within Reed’s small community a volunteer group formed with the mission to “reduce teens’ access to alcohol,” (CNN). The group created a campaign called “Adults Who Host Lose the Most” to raise awareness of the dangers adults risk when they illegally provide kids with alcohol. For more information about substance abuse in our area, call BACODA at 281-212-2900 or go to www.bacoda.com.
The economy affects teens as well as adults Christen Valcoviak The decreasing economy has effected adults and teenagers. Some parents do not talk to their children about the economy, but in many cases children notice the difference in behavior. Parents are now checking grocery prices closer and cutting back on certain luxuries, such as going to the nail salon or a sports game. Some teens are cutting back on certain expenses as well. Many activities that teens enjoy doing, like going to the movies, shopping at certain stores, and going out to eat are being limited. “The economy is affecting teenagers in a negative way because they have to cut down on their spending money for things they enjoy, like going to the movies,” said sophomore Chad Valcoviak. “Teens cut down on going to fun places like the mall and movie theaters, because they need to save that money for stuff that they actually need like money for gas,” said junior Ali Dunn. Some teens are cutting back on their expenses for gas money and college. College funds are depreciating. A student’s plans to attend a certain college
may change due to financial reasons. Teens are noticing a change in vacation plans. In times of economic hardships, extras like vacations are one of the first things cut. Another costly occasion is prom. Accessories for the perfect prom can include a limo, tickets, s h o e s , f o r m a l wear, and dinner -- all expensive items that add up q u i c k l y. Teens are handling this situation in a mature way. According to USA Today, teens want their parents to inform
Teens under pressure Emily Trusky Late nights, last-minute test cramming, and a propensity for not getting enough sleep is often the status quo for the average high school athlete or star student. When grades in AP classes straddle the line between pass and fail and students stress about college acceptances, high pressure can often be the root of the issue. While many athletes might blame their academic lag on their teachers, coaches, or parents, some feel that a commitment to sports is the individual’s own choice. Aileen Glaeser, a junior member of the Cavaliers agrees. “It’s the student’s choice to sign up for that sport knowing their challenging classes and homework load, and if they think it’s too difficult or too time consuming, then they can quit,” she said. Tyler Eby, a senior on the Creek
varsity football team, disagrees. “Tough practices and classes are a good way to learn responsibility and to work harder to reach your goal,” he said. In past years, grades did not factor into an athlete’s ability to perform. However, now athletes must obtain a passing grade to participate and remain active in his or her chosen organization. Dustin Hobaugh believes it is possible to maintain good grades and participate in an after school activity. Hobaugh takes advanced level classes and manages a spotless report card while still remaining an active member of the Creek varsity basketball team. “It’s tough with hard classes and homework, but I can handle it. It’s just a lot of late nights,” Hobaugh said. “The number one reason kids drop out of sports is stress,” stated Ed Tinder, the Executive Director of the Catholic Youth Organization. “They are learning valuable skills like goal setting, competition, learning to win and lose, and skill development that could be carried into the rest of their lives.”
them of the financial crisis. Teens are taking a step in helping out by cutting down on costly activities. They are getting part time jobs to earn a little extra spending money. However, because of the layoff increase, there is a ferocious amount of competition in the job market. The U.S is in a recession right now and teens are trying to make the best of it.
Photo by Wynette Jameson
A round Creek 9 Fusion concert exhibits abilities The senior Megan McKisson On March 10-11, Creek, Lake, Springs, and Brook will come together to present “Fusion”, the second annual area-wide dance concert highlighting the abilities of its Dance I-IV students. The students will perform dances of all styles and genres for an audience of friends and family. Creek will be presenting prop, jazz, Latin jazz, lyrical, modern, contemporary, and urban jazz routines at the concert. “I’m performing the modern routine,” Ophelia Ferman, 9th, said. “I love that I can really express myself through it.” “The lyrical dance that I’m performing in is really unique,” said junior Taja Walker. Additionally, all students were given the opportunity to audition for a hip-hop routine created by guest choreographer Julio Vallejo. The dance included students of all grade levels and abilities and was choreographed to Britney Spears’ “Circus”. “I really enjoy the hip hop routine. It’s choreographed to a good song and it has interesting movements,” said Jenna DeVito, 12th. Dance teachers from CCISD schools created the Fusion dance concert in 2007. “The dance team director at Clear Springs suggested that we do the concert
because she had participated in it in another district and said it was a great success,” said Jill Terrell, Creek dance teacher. “Dancing is important for high school students because it teaches them discipline, time management, group dynamics, confidence, and respect.” The dances are organized by grade level and are choreographed according to the technique and ability of the students. “We increase the difficulty depending on the level of the class, but we also incorporate more difficult steps with particular dancers that can do them, and highlight them within the dance,” saidTerrell. The students are excited to exhibit their abilities for an audience. “My favorite thing about Fusion is getting to work hard and watch your efforts pay off,” said Alina Gregory, 1 2 th. “Showing off my dancing skills at the concert i s a lot of fun,” said Chelsea Goffney, 9th. One element of Fusion that many students are excited about is the friendly competition between Lake, Springs, Brook, and Creek. Creek introduced a multigrade level hip-hop routine to the concert last year, and in 2009 Lake followed suit.
“The interaction and competition between the three schools is intense,” said Ferman. “Meeting new people and having fun is the best part about working with the other schools,” said Gregory. The Fusion concert has had an immense community response. Last year, the facility was filled to capacity with hundreds of spectators waiting to enter. “ W e have had such an
VASE, were created because “we just wanted to see what they could do, and show that to the school,” said art teacher Mrs. Lienhart. The teachers and students also wanted to attempt to spark an interest in art through the gallery, and allow the whole school to see their work. They also displayed “open tables”, where current art students worked on pieces in front of an audience. “Open tables were for people walking through the hallways to see our art as we work on it,” senior Ryan Clemen said. The gallery included pieces of art from sculpture, painting, and drawings from many of the students. The pieces were purely what the students were interested in doing, as the teachers mostly were handsoff for much of the process. Their work ethic proved successful, as they took home many medals. The competition consists
of Regional Judging by art professors, and each student is allowed 10 minutes with the professor to explain the inspiration and the meaning of their piece. Their professor then rates the peice, with a 3 being the highest grade. After they interact with their judge, they are then ranked among their peers – with over 1000 students present and a over 2300 pieces of art shown at the annual competition. Creek’s 12 students advancing to state was a true accomplishment, considering the large amount of students at the VASE competition. These students will show their pieces on April 18 at the state VASE competition, and may advance from there. With all the stage set for success in their competitions, these gifted students look to make a statement across the school and in state competitions.
They learned different cheers and dances. Afterwards the Creek cheerleaders showed the crowd their cheer exhibition. The exhibition gave the students a taste of what they will expect if they decide to try-out for the team when they get into high school. The clinic cost $30.00 and came with a t-shirt, picture with a Creek cheerleader & Willie The Wildcat Mascot, paw print tattoo, and snacks. For $5.00 more the students had the opportunity to buy a personalized megaphone. The money for the clinic goes to the CCHS Cheerleader Booster Club. They will be using the donations they received that day for their end of the year cheer banquet and other end of the year things. “My favorite part about the clinic is seeing the kids have fun and enjoying themselves,” said head cheerleader Cassie Lee. “ I also like how the kids look up to us.” The clinic was organized in different age groups as well as the student’s level of cheerleading experience, including a beginner group, an intermediate group, and an advanced group. There were at least two
varsity cheerleaders in each group. The varsity team has five seniors and eight juniors including Willie The Wi l d c a t . “My favorite part about the clinic is when the kids at the end of the clinic show their parents what they have learned and when we do our cheer exhibition,” said sophomore JV cheerleader Courtney Markland. “ I like to work at the clinic because I love kids. I like how the kids look up us when we are teaching them and they want to be like us.”
incredible a m o u n t of people attend last year that we had to increase the performance to two nights,” said Terrell. The 2009 Fusion Dance Concert will take place at Clear Lake High in the Krueger Field House. “Fusion will bring all of the District departments together and share the students’ dancing abilities and creativity,” said Terrell.
Creek art students excel in show Ryan Munthe Recently, the students in the art program showed off their best work for the school to see. However, the work was not placed on display in a trophy case, but in the hallway leading to the cafeteria for all to see. Pieces with no limitations, ranging from Sculpture to AP Studio Art, were shown. The display encouraged Creek students to join the art program, as well as to showcase pieces that were going to competition in VASE. VASE, or the Visual Art Scholastic Event, is where these pieces compete for top spots. Creek’s art program came home with 61 medals and 12 students advancing to state. The pieces, before they were sent to
Clear Creek Cheer Clinic success Amber Arnold Not only do the 2008-2009 Creek Cheerleaders cheer at the football games, and pep rallies, they also host an annual cheer clinic for students in grades K-7th. This year’s clinic was held on Saturday, February 21 at the Carlisle Field House. Around 75 students attended the clinic. The clinic was organized in age groups, and the Creek cheerleaders taught the students various cheerleading techniques. The cheerleaders put on the clinic each year to raise money for their booster club and to encourage an interest in cheerleading for younger students. Mrs. Vaughn, the freshman coach, Mrs. Caruthers, the JV coach, and Mrs. Cash, the Varsity coach, helped the Creek cheerleaders get ready for the clinic. The clinic lasted for four hours. At 11:45 AM there was a performance in the Field House for parents to observe and watch their child’s newly acquired skills.
hunt is on Albert Nkansah Eating goldfish, cutting people in line, and confrontation are just a few things to expect to happen once the senior scavenger hunt has started. Last year, now-graduated students Cory and Jake Wood held the senior scavenger hunt for class of ‘08. It was a huge success. They were able to plan and organize the hunt without much opposition. The rules were simple: whoever came back with the most points in an allotted timeframe would win the contest. The teams were eager to get started. Every team was required to have at least one male and at least one female. The team also had to have a camera to be able to videotape each challenge. Every participant met up at the Wood household at around 8 p.m., where the Wood brothers explained to everyone the rules. Each team received a packet of the events they were required to join. The scavenger hunt did not consist of normal events. Many were outlandish, such as having to use pick-up lines on strangers. There was an assortment of bonus points each team could to receive, pushing them closer towards a win. One of the most eccentric things on the list was to swallow a live goldfish. The team earned bonus points if the team member threw it up, still live. Around 11p.m. every team went back to the Wood brother’s house and reviewed the tapes to determine the winners. Many other schools have also hosted a similar hunt, also held by students. Grayson County High School in Independence, Virginia, also had a similar scavenger hunt for seniors, filming crazy events. “First rule about scavenger hunt, don’t talk about scavenger hunt. Second rule of scavenger hunt, don’t talk about scavenger hunt. That’s the whole point,” said Jeremy Haycraft f r o m Grayson County High School. There are m o r e challenges t h a t h a v e not been implemented, such as eating a bug, kissing a freshman, and chugging coffee. Changing the events from year to year leave opportunity for the scavenger hunt to change. “I think I am going to be the one to host during my senior year, but I do not know who is going to do it this year,” junior Ryan Wood said. The 2009 scavenger hunt’s host and date will be determined at a later time.
Photos by Megan McKisson
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INVISIBLE CHILDREN
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Dan El stone picture ing. old o
About 6 years ago, 3 young film makers traveled to Africa, looking for a story. These boys discovered something that both inspired and disgusted them, and the trip to Africa turned into a mission to save kids. Invisible Children is a group of people working to save kids in Africa who are being abducted by a group called The Lord Resistance Army(LRA). Young children are taken away from their homes in the middle of the night, and forced to fight for the LRA’s cause. People around the world work together to help give these kids a better life, and you too can help.
For more information try these websites: www.invisiblechildren.com www.fallingwhistles.com www.daneldon.com
afari as a Way of Life
ldon was a young journalist who was ed to death in Somolia while taking es of a riot that broke out after a bomb. Dan died when he was only 22 years d. Throughout his lifetime he made over 17 journals, all filled with amazing photos that he himself took. He showed both the good and bad during the time of war, and he left a lasting impression on many people. He made a huge difference, and hopefully he can inspire you too.
Falling Whistles
Imagine a little kid at the age of 3 or 4, a little kid who isn’t big enough to carry a gun. He can’t fight, and he can’t shoot. So what can he do? How about placing them at the front of the infantry, with a whistle. When the enemy starts advancing, these children blow the whisltles in an attempt to scare the enemy away. If that doesn’t work, then the kids can be used as a shield, to block the bullets from those who can fight. It’s happening in Congo, Africa. Falling whistles is an organization trying to rescue these children and offer them a more creative and safe enviroment. You can help by telling friends and family about these kids, and donating your time and money.
12 Teen Interest Caught smoking pot
Shannon O’Neil “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public – it will not happen again,” Phelps said after his incident with smoking marijuana. Michael Phelps, the well-known Olympic swimmer, holds 14 gold medals. He made his Olympic debut in Sydney, Australia during the Summer Olympics of 2000. When Beijing came around Phelps was determined to beat the record and took 8 gold medals home. With all of his earned medals in Beijing, Phelps became an Olympic Superstar. He was seen promoting Guitar Hero, Kellogg, Visa, Rosetta Stone, Speedo, Omega, and many more companies. Recently however, a picture of Phelps participating in illegal activities has surfaced. The picture showing Phelps smoking marijuana. Phelps admits to the act and has submitted a formal apology. Some companies have dropped Phelps but others still have him as one of their spokesmen. Speedo and Omega still continue to support Phelps and allow him to promote their products. On the other hand, Kellogg’s has decided to let Phelps go. Creek student, Sarah Liveringhouse, said, “I will still continue to be a fan of Phelps and support his career. He’s 23 years old. Things like this are bound to happen.” But one of the biggest blows came when Phelps was suspended from any swimming competition for at least three months. Another Creek student, Jennifer Magill, said, “I think he was irresponsible, but everybody makes mistakes.” He has never in the past had issues with drugs in his swimming career. However it wasn’t his first run with illegal activities. Phelps was caught driving with alcohol in his system and was put on probation for 18 months when he was only 19 years old. The picture was taken on November 6 during Phelps’ trip to the University of South Carolina. Apparently he not only smoked marijuana this time but has been said to have smoked marijuana at other times before this. In the picture Phelps is holding a bong, which is a tube that has water in it and is sometimes used to smoke marijuana. Though marijuana is said to not enhance a person’s performance in a sport or activity, it remains on the Olympic list of banned drugs. The United States Olympic Committee said this about Phelps’ recent illegal activity, “We are disappointed in the behavior recently exhibited by Michael Phelps. Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people. In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities. Michael has acknowledged that he made a mistake and apologized for his actions. We are confidant that, going forward, Michael will consistently set the type of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion.” Despite Phelps’ illegal activity, Americans do expect him to bounce back and become an Olympic swimmer once again.
So into “He’s just not that into you” Kaitlyn Blake
On February 6, the new Warner Bros. Pictures’ hit movie, “He’s just not that into you,” took America by storm. Raking in a whopping $27.5 million, this movie came in first at the box offices, followed by “Taken,” “Coraline,” and “Pink Panther 2.” “He’s just not that into you” was based on a book inspired by the television show, “Sex and the City.” It features many stars including Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, and Ben Affleck. This movie is filled with relationship drama and tips ranging from if he doesn’t call you back
to how to know if the relationship is over. It features women in their twenties over analyzing and obsessing over men’s actions. It also focuses on the burdens women feel in relationships and what to do if your boyfriend doesn’t commit to the relationship.
Although it was a little bit difficult to keep track of all the characters, I found it a representation of most relationships today. “We are all programmed to believe that if a guy acts like a total jerk that means he likes you,” is a quote from the movie that sums up nearly the entire theme. “I found a little bit of my own personality in each one of the characters. The over analyzing, drama, obsessing. It was all so me,” says a tenth grader at Creek. This movie is pure entertainment for girlfriends all around the world. It is not a movie to see with your boyfriend or girlfriend, but with your best friend. “I definitely wouldn’t see the movie with my boyfriend, but with my three best friends,” says Sarah Liveringhouse, a tenth grader at Creek.
Photo credit by MCTCampus
Car keys manufactured for safety Chelsea Huebner Everything in the modern world is always changing and advancing. This change is especially visible in technology. Simple objects can do extraordinary things. For example, car keys are no longer for just starting t h e engine. The car key has become very versatile in the past couple of years. Keys today still have their original function of unlocking the doors and starting the engine, but now they have the ability to disable cell phone use while driving, control maximum speed, control maximum volume on the car stereo, and ensure that the seat belts are being used. As of now, there are two different keys to choose from, one that disables the cell phone and one that controls the volume, speed, and seat belt.
The key disabling cell phone use s the most recent development in technology. This key is called “Key2SafeDriving” and was developed by university researcher Xuesong Zhou and Dr. Wallace Curry in San Francisco. This key sends out a wireless signal that blocks incoming and outgoing calls and text messages from a phone. This key is being marketed mainly to parents a s a way to be sure their teen driver focuses on the road instead of on the cell phone. Parents and law enforcement officials think this is a great idea, but many students would agree with junior, Drew Rogas, that this key “has more cons than pros because although it may help reduce accidents, [people] need to be able to use their phone while driving.” The alternative is the “MyKey” device introduced by Ford Motor Companies which controls the car the same way. Once
the computerized car key is put into the ignition it has a micro chip that is able to control certain aspects of the car such as the speed, volume of the radio, and the drive mechanism that will not let the car go unless the seatbelt is fastened. This product is marketed to parents because it is a way to control teen driving habits. Most students are more opposed to this option because it gives their parents more control and feel it is more about control than safety. However, the Ford Motor Company is making it standard in all 2010 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury models. Junior, David Reeves, said that this “is too controlling because [teen drivers] will never learn how to make these choices on [their] own.” Anderson Forest said that “these keys take away the opportunities to grow up under parental supervision before I go off to college and get put out on my own.” The inventors who created these products may not have thought about the teen reaction. However, parents are supportive of the technology because they don’t have to worry as much about their kids getting into accidents because these new safety features reduce the risk.
Echo, an active, is having trouble because she is no longer just a rag doll waiting for her next task. She is beginning to have flashbacks, remembering the people she has been and things she has done, which is making her wonder who she really is. That is the problem within the “Dollhouse,” as Actives need to be molded into whatever the clients need. The show has mixed reviews. Critics say the show is a good idea and has a great plot, but many of the characters are unable
to grasp the concept of switching easily from one person to another. However, the show makes viewers think and care about characters who are constantly changing. “It is less about the ninja kicks and more about the character transformations,” said the Philadelphia Daily News. The show airs on Friday nights at nine for one hour on Fox. The season is just getting started and viewers, who enjoy science fiction mixed in with drama and action, should tune in.
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Photo by Amanda Compton
Fox show ‘Dollhouse’ is captivating Chelsea Huebner The new Fox show, “Dollhouse,” is a hit. This science fiction drama series is about a very secret and illegal place where people with enough money and connections can pay someone to complete any task. In the dollhouse there is a number of people called “Actives.” These are people who have surrendered their bodies and minds for personal reasons and agreed to allow the creator of the “Dollhouse” to program them to do whatever is needed. Actives can be programmed to have any personality trait or ability necessary to complete or required the task, whether it is the perfect assassin, companion, friend, stunt man, or anything else. These “Actives” remain in the “Dollhouse” for five years, do many tasks and living many lives. However after completion of the task, they remember nothing. They don’t remember who they were, what they did, or whom they came in contact with.
Diversion
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College bound athletes at Creek
Albert Nkansah
Both teenagers and parents have set college goals, and many of those parents’ focus are on getting their children in for free. Many students at Creek have helped their parents out by receiving athletic scholarships. Football, volleyball, baseball, soccer, and track have already had multiple seniors sign letters of intent to play for their intended colleges. The schools are from the West Coast to the Deep South to the Midwest, which shows the range of recruiting. Football had five key players sign letters of intent. Marcus Davis was one of the county’s important recruits. He signed to the division I powerhouse University of Texas Longhorns. He has already started college there as he decided to do what many high profile recruits do and begin college early to avoid getting red shirted in his first year. Jared Biard signed with a Division 1-A school. Colorado State was excited to be able to receive this 6’7”, 280-pound offensive tackle. “Coach, I want to be a ram,” Jared said, as he called a Colorado State coach to confirm his commitment to the school in Fort Collins, Colorado. Other football signings were Zach Duncavage, who will be going to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and also James Caldwell who signed to Henderson State to be a Reddie in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Rounding out the football recruits were Jordan Wright and D.J. Gipson, who both signed to Southeast Prep PG, which is a postgraduate program for athletes. Going to the state playoffs helped many volleyball players to be recognized, resulting in three major players signing letters of intent. Megan Pendergast was one of the top libero recruits in the country and will be bringing her skills to Nebraska. She has already started getting ready for
the upcoming season as she is in Lincoln and enrolled in the school. Haley Jacobs will also be going out of state to the Pacific to play for the Oregon Ducks. Oregon was ranked eight in the country last year. Becky Bekelja who signed on to Mcneese State to be a Cowboy. She is the only volleyball recruit to stay in her home state of Texas. Shawn Blackwell was the major signing for the baseball team, agreeing to play for the University of Kansas. He will be continuing the Creek baseball tradition as a Jay Hawk in Lawrence, Kansas. Creek’s soccer team was able to sign two of their girls. Stephanie Segura, who is a four-year letterman, and Marie Martin, who is a three-year letterman, both signed to play soccer at the collegiate level. Stephanie was the only person in the school to sign to an NAIA university, and she will be going to Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas.
Marie signed on to be part of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane Women’s soccer team. Girls track has also announced their signers. Taylor Smith, who holds the area record for shot put, will take her throwing skills to Wisconsin to be a part of the Badger track and field team. Raquel Kilgore has been in many sports in her high school career. She will take her versatility to UTArlington to compete in the Heptathlon. She will be competing in six track events at each track meet and will try to earn her team as many points as possible. Other athletes who are being recruited with possible scholarships are Chelsea Solonika (basketball), Bobby Bassett (track), Ryan Gunhouse (baseball), and Brian Boyd (track). With all these commitments, Creek will continue to extend its tradition in athletic and academic excellence.
Photo by Amanda Compton
Front row: Ashley Bertot, Lauren Decatur, Stephanie Segura, Marie Martin, Haley Jacobs Back row: Rocky Kilgore, Tommy Henshaw, Shawn Blackwell,Jared Biard, Ryan Gunhouse,Jordan Lenaburd, Taylor Smith, Becky Bekelja Not pictured: Marcus Davis,
Athletes of the month
Kelsey Richardson Alina Gregory Senior tennis player Kelsey Richardson is this month’s featured athlete. Richardson has been playing tennis since she was nine years old and has been on varsity since her freshman year. She and her doubles partner, Jacquelyn Davis are ranked #1 Doubles, and Richardson ranked as the #2 Singles player. She is also the team Captain. Kelsey made All-District Singles her junior and senior year and was AllDistrict Doubles her sophomore, junior and senior years. Richardson says, “I like doubles the most because Coach Patrick Marrie teaches doubles really well.” Richardson also plays for USTA outside of school. There are three rankings of players: zat, champ, and super champ. Richardson is a super champ, which is the highest ranking. She is going to college at Texas State University and will most likely play tennis there. She has met with the head coach and will decide whether or not she wants to walk-on the team in April.
Zach Duncavage, Hordan Wright, D.J. Gipson, James Caldwell and Megan Pendergast
Leftfield fans have “Loudmouths”
Christen Valcoviak “Hey Clear Creek, this is Wildcat Baseball,” is the opening cheer that will be heard at the beginning of every Creek home game. There has been a lot of gossip about a new group called “The Leftfield Loudmouths.” The Leftfield Loudmouths has two founders, senior John Allen and senior Bryant Reinert. Allen has always been a “diehard sports fan” and has always loved baseball. He enjoys being a fan and is not afraid to get into the game by cheering on the team. He decided that he wanted to get a group of “loud, funny, and rowdy fans” to support the Clear Creek baseball team. He started discussing all of this with Reinert and then they needed a name for this group. Reinert started naming random names, and then he said “Leftfield Loudmouths.” Allen thought this name was perfect. After they came up with the name they started brainstorming ideas for the group. Allen
suggested the group have shirts and some chants. They agreed, and decided to commit. They have received a lot of support from Creek students. Allen has sold over 100 Loudmouth T-shirts and people continue to ask him for more. “It’s a great feeling to see people wearing and supporting us. None of this would be possible without the fans. But I would say we started this to bring people together to support the baseball team and show them how to properly cheer,” Allen said. The main purpose of
the Leftfield
Loudmouths is to cheer on the Creek baseball team at home games from the leftfield
side and to stimulate crowd involvement. The Leftfield Loudmouths is a good way for students to be around their friends in a safe environment, have fun, and at the same time show their support for the Creek baseball team. The Leftfield Loudmouths hope baseball becomes a bigger part of Creek. “[The purpose of the Leftfield Loudmouths] is to bring new life to Clear Creek baseball since baseball’s usually regarded as a “boring” s p o r t . Now that’s all changed,” senior, Carlos Garcia said. The official girl leader of the Leftfield Loudmouths is Cassie Lee. Lee wanted to show her support for the baseball team and hopes to get more people involved so they can show their spirit. Lee thinks this group is a great way to get the players hyped up at games and more enthusiastic, as well as get the crowd more involved in the game. “The Leftfield Loudmouths will pump up the players and keep them optimistic and energized even if they are down in a game,” Lee said. On March 5 through March 7 the Wildcats have a tournament at the Creek stadium. To keep updated with how the baseball team is doing throughout the season, when they play, and more, go to www.clearcreekbaseball.com.
Photo by Hailey Stephens
Steven Collins Alina Gregory
March’s Boy Athlete of the Month is senior baseball player Steve Collins. Collins has been playing baseball for thirteen years and has played for all four years that he has been in high school. His freshman year, he was on the sophomore team, his sophomore year he was on junior varsity, and his junior and senior years he was on varsity. During Collins’ freshman year, his team won the District Championship. He has pitched two no-hitters so far and had a game winning home run his junior year. The varsity team currently plays in two scrimmages a week and also plays in tournaments. District begins after Spring Break. “My favorite part about baseball is that there is no room for error. One small mistake and you lose. I love that because no other sport requires such perfection,” Collins says. Collins has been accepted to Baylor andTexas Tech, but says he will go to Texas A&M or the University of Texas if accepted. He is not planning on playing baseball in college. He wants to be an Orthopedic Surgeon.
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T his & That 19 ISA helps students adjust to a new country Allie Hinga Every person has his or her own definition of a journey. For some, it may be driving across Houston, for others, a family vacation. The students in Creek’s International Student Academy (ISA) program have made incredible journeys, but not the kind most students might expect. These students have immigrated to America from across the world, some against incredible odds, to make better lives for themselves. At Creek, they face the daily struggles of adjusting to life in their new country, but with the help of ISA, they are transitioning one step at a time. They came for many different reasons and from many different countries. Some have been in the United States for less than a year; others have been here for many. Some speak good English, while others struggle to find words to express themselves. Some readily tell their stories of their journey to America, while others say very little, having faced hardships beyond words. But all of them have a story to tell. Sisters Hanh “Lucky” Hua and Hong “Donna” Hua emigrated from Vietnam in November 2005. Motivated by the desire for a better education, they knew no English when they arrived. They were placed in Creek’s International Student Academy, a program for students who have recently immigrated, and began the transition to their new home. “Everything is different: the people, the language, the food and culture. We basically had to start everything from the beginning,” Donna said. The sisters worked hard to fulfill their dream of a better education, translating their homework word by word so they could complete assignments. They spent much of their free time studying and received generous help from their teachers. For them, the hard work was worth it, because they feel American schools are superior to those in Vietnam, providing them with the opportunity to study and to “fulfill the dream.” “I want to be a pharmacist, but inVietnam the schools are very expensive,” Lucky said. Her dedication will soon pay off, as both girls will be completing their senior year this spring, and have been
accepted to the University of Houston. Israel Marquez-Arana, another former ISA student, arrived in the United States a year ago from El Salvador. He came looking for a job and an education, “trying to find another life.” He walked across the border after swimming the Rio Grande twice. He was caught by border patrol and spent a month in jail before coming to League City, where he was placed in ISA. Marquez-Arana is currently enrolled in regular classes at Creek after completing the program. He works six nights a week in addition to his regular school work to pay the rent and bills and send money to
Cesar Lopez-Lemos left his home country of Honduras in February 2008 with his uncle and a friend. He and his uncle, who would be caught by immigration police, were separated in Mexico City. On their way to the United States, LopezLemos was forced to leave his friend, whose legs were run over by a train. Lopez-Lemos arrived in the country alone. Other students have undergone hardships like crossing the desert in Mexico and seeing the skeletons of those who never reached their destination. One student, Mildred Pelico, was born in the United States, but her mother returned to Guatemala when she was told that the police would take her child if she remained. No matter what their background, all of these students have received a chance to adjust to their new life through ISA. The International Student Academy is a district-wide program housed at Creek that gives Ms. Laurence with this year’s ISA class. newly arrived, nonhis father, who suffered from a heart attack English speaking students the chance to be and is unable to work. He said one of the in special English, math, and social studies hardest parts of being here is missing his classes aimed at helping students learn family, who he is not able to visit because English and providing greater support of the nature of his immigration. Though than in regular classes. Elizabeth Laurence he lives with his sister, many minors who teaches English, Reading, and World immigrate without their papers are placed Geography. Adeleh Samadzadeh teaches in foster care with people they don’t basic math, pre-algebra, and algebra know, or they are deported. Despite all of courses. Students zoned for other schools in the hardships, Marquez-Arana said that CCISD are sent by bus to the Creek campus his journey has been worth the struggle. in the morning to attend their ISA classes. “This is the country of dreams,” he said. Students may be placed in ISA when Enoc Hernandez-Rodriguez, a they register in the district. At this time, current ISA student, left Honduras after a “home language form” is sent home in his grandfather died so he could study, the registration packet. If the language get a job, and find a better life. He spoken in the home is not English, the arrived in Mexico City with no money registrar may request English proficiency and was forced to search the streets for testing. If the test identifies a student as food. He traveled by train and by foot, a Non English Speaker, the student may taking fourteen days to reach the border, be placed in ISA. At the beginning of the where he was caught by immigration school year, parents are given the choice patrol. He is currently in foster care. about whether or not to place their student
in ISA. Students who choose to be in the program are withdrawn from their home campus and special transportation is arranged to bring them to Creek each day. ISA is different in that English for Speakers of Other Languages classes because ESOL students usually have some experience with English, while ISA students have special linguistic needs and need to learn basic English to survive in their new environment. ISA is also different from regular classes in that the class size is smaller, usually 14 to 15 students, because it allows for more individual work between student and teacher. The coursework of the classes is more basic and at a slower pace and emphasizes oral communication and practice, giving students many opportunities to learn basic English. The program emphasizes bonding among students to support each otheras they learn to deal with the cultural and emotional challenges they face. Both current and former ISA students said they have faced prejudice outside the classroom, especially the program’s Spanish speaking students. Ms. Laurence feels it is important to show these students that they are equal to all of their peers, regardless of their background. Despite the hardships these students have to overcome, many former ISA students have been very successful. One of them, Maricela Flores, who traveled to the United States from Mexico by laying on a narrow platform beneath a car, will be graduating this year and plans to study health science. Sisters “Donna” and “Lucky” Hua will graduate this spring and have been accepted into U of H. Juan Ramon Ortiz-Mendez and Jairo Martinez-Villalobos will be leaving Creek this year and plan to study engineering. Cynthia Castellanos, originally from El Salvador, will also be graduating this year. Laurence is proud of the hard work done by her students and former students. Her job is to make sure that they are able to adjust to their new life and ensure that their journeys have not been in vain. No matter what their background, these students are working hard to make better lives for themselves, and to live the life that their new country offers.
“I’ve been bowling my whole life, so each, plus extra points for the highest total I decided to bowl for the school,” senior pins, working toward a total of eight points. Andrew Wilson Creek’s students said about his have bowled decision to against teams from join the club. Houston, Texas The Bowling City, Pearland, Club participates and other areas. in competitions As a result of regularly, and their dedication, has gone to 14 the girls team so far this year. will be attending Each competition the regional consists of 2 tournament March individual rounds 7, and the boys team and two “baker,” may also attend. or team, rounds. “The Cameron Engle and Jake Brueckner In individual girls team rounds, each player bowls a round against really surprised me because they’re one other competitor, and the player with really young, but they made regionals,” the highest score receives one point. If the club sponsor David Barkhausen said. team as a whole has a higher pin total than In addition to attending the regional the other teams, they receive two points tournament, senior Cameron Engle may towards a possible seven. In “baker” be going to the state tournament as an rounds, each member of the team bowls individual. He is currently ranked top three two frames in three games for two points in the district, and the top four students
are sent to state. Engle has been bowling since he was seven, and participates on a league team after the Creek team finishes their practice. Engle said he is very excited about the prospect of going to state. “I’ve been looking forward to it for the last three years,” he said, “I’ve almost made it for the past two years, so if I got to go, it would be awesome.” Any interested student can join the Bowling Club, but it is suggested that they join at the beginning of the year, as there is a $100.00 to participate. Admission is based on tryouts, but students with various levels of experience are accepted into the club, and members need to provide their own ride to the bowling alley. Even though joining the bowling club may seem demanding, its members say that joining has been worth the work. “I enjoy that you can be a bowler, and that you can still enjoy hanging out with your friends, and have fun whether you win or lose,” junior Anisa Coakley said.
Photo by Elizabeth Laurence
Creek Bowling Club on its way to regionals Allie Hinga While many of Creek’s clubs meet after school in a classroom, students in the Bowling Club are on their way to the Alpha Lanes for practice. These students’ hard work and dedication are paying off, as they may be going to the regional tournament in March, and one team member may be headed for the state competition. The CCHS Bowling Club meets on Mondays at 3:30 p.m. at the Alpha Lanes on Bay Area Boulevard, where they work on improving their games both as individuals and as a team to get ready for their competitions. The group is divided into two teams: girls and boys, and each team practices separately. Many team members said the regular meetings have definitely helped them improve their game, some of them raising their score by at least 20 points this year. For some members, this year has been their first time to bowl competitively, while other members have been bowling since their childhood.
Photo by Allie Hinga
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